Many of our Mamas and Papas are asking us for recommendations on how they can help in the Gulf. As we watch the weeks and now months tick by, we at Climate Mama are so saddened that our great nation seems powerless to put a decisive and immediate stop to this horrifying man-made natural disaster. We are all witnesses to how our quest and hunger to “manage the earth’s resources” remains elusive and as in this instance, not without unintended and damaging consequences. The recent Associated Press video, attached to this post, is a shocking reminder of the consequences we will be dealing with for a long time to come. We aren’t going to point fingers nor get into a long tirade of why, drilling 1 mile below the surface, without adequate safeguards, could ever have been approved or considered a “good idea, ” enough said. Instead, we want to provide you with the following sources and resources for up to the minute information, as well as links on what is happening and how to help in the Gulf.
The Deepwater Horizon Response Unified Command(named for the “Deepwater Horizon” oil rig that exploded) has set up a website that reports on the coordinated activities of 15 organizations including government and private companies, actively working together on solutions for the unfolding disaster in the Gulf. US Government agencies represented in this unified command include: the EPA, Fish and Wildlife Services, CDC, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, NOAA and the National Parks Service, as well as several others. There are links from this combined site to each agencies individual home page as well. BP is also one of the participant organizations in the unified command.
The states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama have links on the site, in case you are able to actually go down to the affected areas and help out directly, volunteers are being actively recruited.
For many of us who are unable to go down to the Gulf in person, but who want to help, the following non-profit, reputable organizations are soliciting donations. As far as we are aware, there are no organizations currently taking donations “in kind.”
International Bird Rescue Center
Please let us know if you know of other reputable sites or organizations and add your links to the comment section below!
